Won't Back Down
by Harkman and Teaboy
Summary: Tosh never gives anyone the time of day - at least not until Gwen's careless flirting throws her over the edge. / Mentions of JackxIanto and OwenxGwen, but mostly ToshxOwen. WARNING: Anrgy Tosh & some serious Gwen-bashing. Not for the weak-hearted.


_So, this story was originally supposed to be based off of the song "Friday Night Bitch Fight" by Ke$ha, but after I got about halfway through writing the story I'd realized that it had taken on a life of its own, and thus had been renamed "Won't Back Down". So... enjoy! (: ***Warning**: There is some **serious **Gwen-bashing in this, but it's for Tosh's sake._

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><p>It was very rare that Tosh ever got angry. When she did, no one got to see her irritation, anyway, unless it was absolutely necessary that she spoke her opinion. Tosh was known as the cool, collected Torchwood member with a slightly skittish edge that made her seem somewhat timid. It helped her keep her composure, being so quiet. Saying less meant there was a smaller amount of words that could be used against her in the future during arguments. She could fly under the radar without getting caught in the middle of any drama, while the more boisterous members like Owen would run his mouth and cause more than enough trouble. The only time Tosh ever spoke with a tone of authority was when she was explaining a topic involving Hub technology or some new uncovered information that could be useful towards a current investigation.<p>

But oh, there was one thing that Toshiko could not stand more than anything in the world.

To see that disgrace of a girlfriend Gwen Cooper flounce around the Torchwood facility like some sort of goddess really grinded her gears. Tosh wasn't sure whether Gwen was mentally ill and unable to recognize that she was blatantly manipulating Rhys' trust, or if she was completely aware and ignored that fact that she had a loving man waiting for her at home at the end of each day. Did she not understand how important it was to have a life outside of Torchwood? Having Rhys seemed like striking gold to the Japanese woman; to enter such a job with an already established lifestyle was quite the privilege indeed. But what did Gwen do instead? She took her relationship with Rhys for granted and probably didn't care what the consequences were.

People like Tosh, Owen, Ianto and Jack weren't graced with someone to come home to. They would go back to their flats every night -although it was obvious that Ianto and Jack weren't _always _alone- and tuck themselves into a cold bed with no one but themselves to occupy it. Someone like Gwen was able to open the front door and kiss her boyfriend- to do things with Rhys like share a meal or a movie... which she did. But apparently, a healthy relationship wasn't enough. Greed for the objects -and people- she couldn't claim as her own fogged Gwen's view of what genuine love she really had.

Unfortunately, the Welshwoman's loose morals for her boyfriend and her life outside of work were not the aspects of Gwen Cooper that Tosh hated the most. Tosh's strong dislike for Gwen began the moment Gwen and Owen walked through the Hub's cog door one morning, the scent of sex literally rolling off of them in waves.

It was when she realized that Gwen was sleeping with Owen.

Toshiko sat behind her station as the pair passed by, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the sight but saying nothing more. What would she say, anyway? It wasn't like her and Owen actually had anything together - if anything, they were as friend-like as friends could be. But that didn't stop Tosh from using an extra force on her keyboard as she clicked away through Torchwood files like she normally would during her free time.

"Calm down there, tiger; we don't need to be buying you a new computer with the way you're showing it who's boss." Jack clapped a hand on her shoulder with a chuckle, doing his usual rotation to see how everyone was progressing with their work.

"Oh - yeah. Sorry, Jack." She quickly apologized, her eyes quickly darting over to where Owen was sitting at his station, fiddling with a Rubik's cube in his hands, but much more intent on flirting with Gwen, who was leaning up against his desk with a certain look in her eyes. Tosh _despised _that look. Turning back to her work, she realized Jack's hand was still resting on her shoulder, and she looked up to find his expression slightly clouded with concern.

"Don't let your manners get in the way of anything you want to say, you hear me?" Jack murmured to her under his breath so only she could hear, and she hesitantly nodded, unsure of whether to say or do anything else.

Was Jack insinuating that she stand up to Gwen? Was he mad? That was like walking into a stadium with a raging bull and a red target painted on your chest. Tosh was more than likely to lose that battle, especially since Gwen had already "gotten to know" Owen more than Tosh ever had in the years that the two had worked together. Though, the quiet Japanese woman couldn't help but wonder what the outcome were to be if she spoke a little louder, and stood a little taller...

No. She couldn't possibly go through with it.

And for the first few months, she didn't. Instead, Tosh sat on the sidelines and watched in agony as Owen and Gwen continued their little rendezvous' with one another. Even Ianto knew how she was feeling after she showed up to his flat in her pyjamas with tears streaming down her face from over-thinking the situation one night. She'd practically told the Welshman everything; how she felt for Owen, how she felt so negatively towards Gwen, and she didn't forget to mention what Jack had said... Ianto found the American's words highly amusing, though he knew that they meant so much more to Toshiko because Jack pretty much gave her the green light to stand up for herself. Ever since that night, Ianto had been extra careful with Tosh despite her pleas for him not to. He was aware of how much Gwen and Owen's fling hurt her.

It was up until the point where Mary had given her the necklace that allowed her to hear people's thoughts that Tosh's motives became more and more spiteful towards Gwen. Hearing the Welshwoman and Owen think about each other like that made a fire rage in the pit of her stomach. And to hear that Owen thought of her with such... such pity, and to know he thought of her as just some blabbering idiot didn't help either. She'd learned who she was really working with, and even though Mary explained that the thoughts they were thinking might have been completely unintentional, Tosh still took them personally.

Of course, at the end of it all, she ended up being angrily confronted by Owen about her hearing in on his secrets, which only degraded her even more. Tosh wished she could pull the medic off to the side and apologize with all of her being, and tell him she didn't hold a single word of his thoughts against him... but she couldn't. Owen probably forever thought of her as the average Torchwood techie and nothing more. Knowing that, it literally twisted the knife in Tosh's chest because honestly - what was the point of expressing her feelings towards him if they weren't returned? It'd only make working with him a million times more awkward.

And then, because Gwen Cooper was such a _sodding _know-it-all, she had to come over and explain how she was in the wrong. But not only that - but that the Welshwoman would _continue _her actions with Owen despite knowing how inappropriate it really was. As Gwen walked away from her, Tosh couldn't help but clench and unclench her fists several times, her jaw tense as she held her tongue once again. When would Gwen realize how bloody stupid she looked?

But - there was more. Of _course _there was more.

Not only did Gwen chase after Owen, but she even had the audacity to flirt with Jack as well. Luckily, their boss actually understood how absurd it would be to return any feelings for the Welshwoman, but not once did that stop Gwen from walking with an extra sway in her hips whenever Jack was around. While the American found Gwen's attempts to gain his attention more than entertaining, there was another person aside from Tosh who found Gwen Cooper just as nauseating.

"She's really beginning to frustrate me." Ianto grumbled as he handed Tosh her morning tea, and the Japanese woman let out a small giggle.

"So I'm not the only one now?"

"Definitely not. I could tolerate her fooling around with Owen, but Jack? That's crossing a line." He sat on the edge of her desk, eyeballing the Welshwoman across the room as she playfully slapped Jack's chest, probably due to some sort of joke the Captain had made. Or maybe it was just so she could touch him, that volatile-

"Ianto?" Tosh regained his attention and the archivist turned his gaze back to the techie.

"We need to do something about this." Tosh couldn't help but smile slightly. It was very atypical for Ianto to act so possessive of Jack, but she could understand where he was coming. Except, Ianto had actually established something with their boss, while herself with Owen was just... non-existent. Tosh merely nodded and Ianto left her station, bee-lining at a slightly rushed pace towards Gwen and Jack who were in deep conversation, but as soon as the Welshman arrived Jack's focus changed from Gwen to Ianto in less than a second. Tosh turned back to her work, only to blush slightly as she caught Owen watching her from the staircase down to the medical bay, and she'd made brief eye contact with the doctor before he quickly retreated back down the stairs.

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><p>"Toshiko!" Jack called over to the Japanese woman as she looked up tiredly from one of the many piles of messy paperwork. Usually Tosh was much more organized than she was now, but after her small talk with Ianto and the look Owen gave her after had her mind more than occupied.<p>

"Yes?" She spun around in her chair to find the rest of the Torchwood team sliding on their jackets save Ianto, who already donned his three-piece suit and was standing with his hands in his pockets, waiting.

"We're all going to the pub; do you want to come along?" The American offered, and she nodded with a sweet smile, grabbing her leather jacket and following suit with the other team members as they all clambered out of the Hub, the group buzzing with conversation. Her smile only grew as she realized that Jack and Ianto had their hands secretly intertwined as they walked side by side, and Tosh assumed that Ianto had confronted their boss about the "Gwen" issue and Jack was now making up for it.

As the team piled into the Torchwood SUV, they realized that there was one extra person as Ianto usually stayed behind when everyone else would go out for fieldwork. This left Gwen and Tosh on either ends of the backseat with Owen in the middle, everyone's thighs firmly pressed together as Owen was placed uncomfortably between the two women while Ianto took the passenger's seat and Jack drove. Tosh couldn't help but blush profusely as Owen slung his arm over the seat behind her casually, his fingertips gently grazing her shoulder. The entire ride to the pub the Japanese woman was quiet, keeping her gaze locked onto the scenery outside her window while everyone else sank into leisurely conversation.

Arriving at the pub where they would usually go for drinks after work, each member filed out of the SUV and began heading inside. Only Jack and Ianto stayed behind and Tosh was absolutely positive their Captain was trying his hardest to prove to Ianto that he wasn't interested in Gwen at all whatsoever.

If only Owen would have done the same for her, she thought. It was already settled, though; the medic had his mind set on goals that didn't involve her.

As they all settled at a large booth, Tosh realized she was sitting directly across from Owen and Gwen, who were murmuring to one another quietly with more than mischievous looks on their faces. It made Tosh's stomach churn sickeningly.

"First round, anyone?" Jack said with a trademark grin, and the group nodded in unison; Ianto immediately got up to escort the Captain over to the bar, obliviously leaving Tosh with Gwen and Owen. It was bad enough that she had to sit with them, let alone talk to the pair knowing exactly what was going on between them. Since the "mind-reading necklace" incident, she knew all of the overly personal details, too. It didn't help that her and Owen weren't on the greatest of terms due to the fact that she'd heard his every thought for a lengthy period of time while wearing the necklace.

"So," Gwen started with a warm smile, though Tosh wasn't buying it. She barely bought _anything _the Welshwoman said or did these days, because from what the techie saw, there was always built-up lies behind closed doors with Gwen. "How are you, Tosh?"

"Fine." She replied curtly, unwilling to give out any more details than necessary. Besides, that's who she was. The quiet one; why say more when you could say less and get the same result in the end? Tosh was pleased with Gwen's reaction as the brunette woman seemed slightly caught off-guard that Tosh hadn't given her any more or less than the time of day. Usually people were so much more open with her, and Gwen found it hard to respond to the Japanese woman's response. Owen merely snickered at Gwen's expression.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Cat got your tongue?" Owen's cockney accent only added to the teasing tone and Gwen pressed her lips together in a firm line, obviously not pleased with Owen making fun of her.

"Oh, stuff it, Owen."

"Play nice in the sandbox, children." Jack's voice cut through before an argument between Gwen and Owen could start as he set their drinks down on the table, Ianto giving Tosh hers and sliding into the booth with Jack following suit. As everyone was given their respective drinks, the team once again settled back into conversation, attempting to keep the topic of Torchwood out of discussion.

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><p>"I think Gwen's had one too many," Ianto pointed out, the hint of a smile on his lips as the Welshwoman threw her head back in a rather unattractive laugh, leaning to fall against someone's shoulder only for her to land on the bench as Owen was sitting on the opposite side of which she was leaning. That didn't stop Gwen from laughing, though; in fact, it only made her laugh harder. Ianto and Jack shared a look before standing up as Jack gave Tosh and Owen the run-down.<p>

"I'm going to give Ianto and Gwen a ride home since she's obviously too out of it to do anything more than… well, laugh." Jack observed Gwen once again as her body vibrated with giggles. She had yet to sit back up in her original spot and was having the time of her life in her own little world.

"What about you, Ianto?" Tosh internally pleaded that she could somehow find a way to get the Welshman to stay. The last thing she needed was to stay with Owen alone while he was almost as drunk as Gwen was.

"I'm going as well; I've had a few and I don't want to risk driving later." The techie could see the look in Ianto's eyes as their gazes met. He _wanted _her to stay with Owen! As she looked over to Jack she realized he was sending her the exact same message, and Tosh fought the urge to slump back in her seat dejectedly.

"I'll come pick you two up in about half hour. Unless…" Jack gestured his head towards Owen, who was busy staring at the spare contents of his drink, watching the liquid move sluggishly in the glass – or at least it seemed slower to him.

"Unless?"

"You could always walk him home. You two don't live too far away from here anyway, right?" Jack quirked an eyebrow, leaning up against the side of the booth as Ianto attempted to lift Gwen up from where she was lying. It was obvious that Jack's question was more of a forceful suggestion.

"Yeah, that'll work. I could use some fresh air, anyway." This was one of those times where Tosh really wasn't fond of Jack's straight-forward or Ianto's "keep quiet and let Jack do the talking" attitudes. Both worked perfectly fine for the two men, but when it came down to them deciding Tosh's fate, whatever Jack said goes.

As Ianto and Jack left the bar towing Gwen as she stumbled behind, Tosh found herself feeling more and more uncomfortable as the seconds passed and Owen was too preoccupied with his drink to say anything.

After about ten minutes of the medic's alcohol-induced silence, Tosh decided to speak up. "Would you like to get out of here? It's getting late."

"Yeah, yeah; just let me finish my drink." If it weren't so awkward, Tosh would have probably laughed at Owen due to the fact that his glass had been empty for a good twenty minutes, but the techie just couldn't find it in herself to even let out a light giggle.

"Your drink is already done, Owen. Come on, let's go." Tosh realized how drunk Owen really was when he leaned against her for support, obviously unable to hold up his own weight as they walked out of the pub. She didn't really mind; Owen was warm and the walk was sure to be chilly with Cardiff's night air soaking into their clothing.

Owen hadn't said anything unless Tosh would prompt it from him. For about the first ten minutes of walking – or rather, a drunken limp for Owen – Tosh would nudge the medic and ask him to start some sort of conversation so he wouldn't fall asleep on her while they walked.

"Well, what d'ya want me to talk about? I don't really know computers." He slurred, the tequila-ridden breath being the only thing Tosh could smell as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I'm not all about computers, Owen. I am normal like the rest of you lot." She puffed, finding it slightly more difficult to talk and half-carry the inebriated man at the same time.

"Well…" Tosh was sure he was attempted to come back with a comment full of some classic Owen Harper snark, but the heavy intoxication canceled out his ability to retort with wit.

"Well… what?"

It went silent for another few minutes. Tosh didn't really enjoy the fact that drunken Owen couldn't hold a conversation for more than thirty seconds, but at least it was better than sober Owen who could only hold one for a minute before he had to insult someone.

"I'm sorry." He murmured quietly, and the Japanese woman barely caught what he'd said. They were just approaching his flat when she finally decided to respond.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry?"

"I don't treat you well enough, Tosh." She found herself doing a mental double take. Was Owen… apologizing? And not only that, but he was even apologizing for his behavior. That was seen once in a blue moon, and Tosh could feel heat flooding to her cheeks, turning them light pink as Owen continued.

"I mean – really? You're bloody brilliant, Tosh; you do so much for Torchwood, and… you don't deserve how people treat you." Despite his slightly slurred tone, the medic had never sounded more sincere. The last time she'd heard him speak like this was during an outburst that lead him to mentioning his dead fiancée.

"Owen, you don't have to—"

"Yes… Yes, I really do. Without– without you… there would be no Torchwood! You are the techni- the technologi_cal- _just- god damn it, Tosh, you're special! And- it seems like… without you… things just wouldn't be the same." Owen's voice dropped to a whisper and Tosh was at a loss for words. How was she supposed to react to the man's sudden personality change?

"Tosh… just know that I appreciate you, okay? Just know that… I love you Tosh. I really, really love you. So mu-"

"Where are your keys, Owen? We need them to get you inside." The medic didn't hesitate to fumble around for his set of house keys while Tosh watched with tears in her eyes. He hadn't just said that – he couldn't have. That didn't make any sense! One moment Owen thought she was a plain Jane, and the next he was praising her work like it was the best quality Torchwood could find. Hugging an arm around her torso, she followed Owen into the apartment as he stumbled through the front doors; she couldn't break down. Not there… not now.

As they entered the elevator, Owen went back to leaning against her back with his arms loosely wrapped around her waist in case he lost his footing, and Tosh found the contact more painful than ever. The ride up to his flat was in an eerie silence, Owen not speaking because he didn't need to and Tosh keeping quiet because in times like this, it was what she did best.

"Here we are," She announced quietly, making sure Owen was successfully able to unlock his door before she turned around swiftly and began to head back to the elevator. "Goodnight, Owen."

"Tosh – wait!" He called to her and she stopped in her tracks, not daring to turn around but stayed put instead. A surprisingly strong set of arms turned her around and she came face to face with Owen before he pressed his lips to hers. At first, Tosh was in complete shock, but the initial reaction slowly faded as she realized how tenderly his lips melted against hers, as if he really meant it. One of the medic's hands came up to caress her cheek, and Tosh felt her knees weaken under his touch. She didn't care if he was drunk; if she was angry with him or Gwen, if he was angry with her… all she cared about was that Owen had just kissed her. That Owen _was _kissing her.

It had ended as soon as if began, though, and they parted breathlessly. Tosh couldn't fully comprehend what had just happened, but the small smile on Owen's lips told her she must have done something right. Gently tracing her jaw with his knuckles, Owen bid her farewell quietly before pressing another brief kiss to her lips and turning back in the direction of his front door. Tosh hesitated before rushing quickly to the elevator.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Toshiko almost refused to get out of bed.<p>

_"Tosh… just know that I appreciate you, okay? Just know that… I love you Tosh. I really, really love you. So mu-"_

What happened now? So many thoughts ran through her mind, contradicting one another or making no sense whatsoever... Owen's lips on hers, the way they felt almost numb afterward... and facing him. Facing him would be the worst. Would he remember? Of course he wouldn't. The medic was so out of his mind that he would probably only wake up with an aching headache and the need to vomit. As for Tosh, well... she couldn't help but wonder if what Owen said the night before was true.

It took her an extra while to drag herself out from under her covers, the temptation of playing hooky for a few days itching in the back of her mind. But, she knew she had to be present for work for Torchwood's sake. When Owen said she contributed to Torchwood, he may not have completely meant it, but he was right. The rest of the team -except maybe Ianto- couldn't last trying to use all of the computer programs she did. Even leaving everyone alone for a few hours was pushing the envelope. The last thing the techie needed was to come to the Hub to find that Gwen had deleted something she definitely shouldn't have.

_Gwen_, Tosh thought with a small scowl. She'd temporarily about the Welshwoman, and remembered her a tad too early for her liking. Not only did Tosh have to walk into work avoiding Owen, but Gwen too? Not to mention that the brunette woman would be back to her lustful ways with Owen and Jack... oh, Tosh would not tolerate that today. Toshiko wondered if Owen had said the same things to Gwen that he did to the Japanese woman... that question plagued her thoughts during her whole commute to the tourist's office, and she'd realized that due to her laziness that morning that she was most likely the last one to arrive if Owen decided to come in with a hangover. _Bloody brilliant._

Facing Ianto was fine. To see the Welshman with a cheery smile on his face as she entered the office meant all things went well with Gwen and -_especially_- Jack last night. Plus, it was never difficult to converse with Ianto no matter the topic. He was a very understanding individual who would always understand Tosh for her good and bad qualities.

"Good morning, Ianto." She acknowledged him, the innocent smile comfortably curving her lips upwards as he nodded to her in greeting. "And you, Tosh. How was Owen last night? He seemed to come in this morning looking quite under the weather."

"He was... fine. Not once did he cause a problem." _Except when he told me loved me and then kissed me goodnight, no big problems there, _she finished in her head before continuing down into the main part of the Hub. The butterflies in her stomach began to flutter ten-fold compared to when she was in her flat. Now she was about to see the usual team... The _usual _team, Tosh told herself confidently. That's all they were; the good ol' team-

"G'morning, Tosh." Gwen walked by with that usual big-hearted smile of hers, and Toshiko returned it with half the gusto she would use with any other member of the team. For some reason her tolerance for the Welshwoman was running dry and even making eye contact with Gwen was causing Tosh's patience to thin immensely. She watched as Gwen immediately made her way over towards Jack's office and only hoped that she was going there on strictly business.

"Coffee?" Ianto appeared from behind Tosh, handing her the usual butterfly mug filled with the creamy substance, him too watching as Gwen disappeared into Jack's office with a less than amused look on his face.

"Thanks." Tosh tore her eyes away from Gwen as she took the mug, only to see a moving figure out of the corner of her eye. A mantra of "don't look up" was repeating in her head, but as she did anyway, she instantly regretted it as she made eye contact with the one and only - Owen Harper.

The medic's expression gave nothing away; for the most part, he looked groggy and unwell, just as Ianto had described to her earlier. But there was something extra in his eyes as they held their gaze for that extra second - no. Tosh wouldn't over-think things again. She always did that. Maybe that was the consequence of being so quiet...

"Good morning, Toshiko." Owen said with a tired tone as he walked past, giving her a brief nod before continuing on his way, and the techie could feel flashbacks from the night before hitting her hard. She barely had time to give him a nod back before they broke eye contact, and Ianto rested a hand on her shoulder, murmuring into her ear.

"What was that?" She could hear the grin laced through Ianto's words and she sighed.

"It's... it's complicated." Tosh definitely had wished by this point that she'd stayed home cocooned in her blankets like she had originally planned. Heading to her station, Ianto passed by Gwen just as the Welshwoman left Jack's office, the same smile plastered to her expression while she descended the steps. Tosh merely ignored the other woman's presence, delving into her work with a determined attitude to accomplish some serious progress without letting Owen or Gwen distract her. The sudden outburst of laughter from Jack's office from their boss and Ianto made Tosh relax even further, knowing the relationship between the two men was more than patched up. If only she could say the same for her and Owen... - she was getting off-track.

"Hey, Owen." _Ignoring it... ignoring her... _Tosh thought to herself calmly, blocking out any female Welsh accents in the room and returning her focus to writing up a few mission reports she had lying around.

"I was wondering if we were still, y'know - meeting tonight." Owen couldn't have said the same things to Gwen as he did to Tosh. It just didn't _work _like that; Gwen was with someone, he wasn't. While Tosh, on the other hand, was completely single, and he could say whatever he wanted to her because they had a chance of being something. Gwen, on the other hand, was taken... Tosh had what the Welshwoman didn't.

Toshiko heard Owen mumble a short reply to Gwen before turning back to his computer. Obviously with the medic feeling hung over, even open flirting took a great amount of effort that he most certainly did not have. That didn't stop Gwen from leaning in with a small smirk, resting her hand on Owen's thigh, sliding it upwards...

"You know what, Gwen Cooper?" Tosh barely registered that it was her who was talking until both Gwen and Owen turned her direction. The Japanese woman also didn't realize she had stood up with her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her whole posture rigid as she locked eyes with Gwen. "I'm growing _so tired _of you."

"Uh-" Gwen glanced around for a second, as if Tosh hadn't addressed her by her name and assumed she was talking to someone else. "Everything alright, Tosh?"

"No, things are not alright, Gwen." Tosh walked over to her with a forceful stride in her step, and Gwen's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand-"

"Well, you're about to bloody understand. Do you have no dignity, Gwen?" Tosh snapped, having to look up slightly at the Welshwoman as she stopped smack in front of Gwen but still managed to feel metres higher than the brunette standing before her. "Do you not realize how absolutely _disgusting _you look walking around, flaunting yourself like a piece of meat? Flirting with Owen and Jack- oh my god, do you ever notice how stupid you look? As if they actually care for you like that. What about Rhys? Rhys is probably oblivious at his job wondering how your day is at work while you- while you _whore yourself out_!" The last part came out as more of a hoarse yell as Tosh was running out of air, but that didn't stop her from jabbing a finger into Gwen's chest and continuing her tangent.

"God, you frustrate me, Gwen Cooper. How can you go about your day and not feel like some cheap _wench_, going behind your boyfriend's back and sleeping with other men... _sleeping with other men_, Gwen! Am I the only one who can point out that Owen is shagging you because you're literally throwing yourself at him?" By this point, Tosh could see out of the corner of her eyes that Ianto and Jack had emerged from the American's office and were slowly making their way down the stairs in shocked silence.

"You probably feel like some goddess, don't you? Because all the men want you? Well let me tell you something, Gwen; Jack doesn't want you, and Owen doesn't want you. Not in the way you want them to. Jack is obviously with Ianto and Owen is there because you're not the girl he wants, you're the girl he can get with minimal effort." Gwen had yet to say anything, but to see the priceless look on her face was reward enough for Toshiko.

"And guess what? You want to know what happened last night?" Tosh glanced over at Owen, and she could feel the tears filling her eyes as she could see the flashbacks pass over his features. He'd _remembered_. "You got piss drunk, and while Jack and Ianto drove you home I had to drag Owen back to his flat. And you know what happened? He kissed me." She paused, the words still sinking in for her too as it was the first time she'd admitted to herself that it had really happened.

"Owen kissed me." Tosh turned to Owen, still talking at Gwen but sending the same message to the medic as well. "He kissed me... and he told me that he- he told me that he loved me, Gwen. And that is damn well more than he'll ever tell you." She turned back to Gwen, the rage more than obviously on her usually soft features. She could see the anger slowly bubbling over in Gwen, too. But that was what she wanted. She wanted to see Gwen make a complete fool of herself.

"And do you know why? It's because Rhys is waiting for you at home every sodding night and you still have the decadence to come here and practically spit in your boyfriend's face that he's nothing more than a flatmate to you. So what do you have, Gwen? If you abandon Rhys?" She challenged, and Gwen merely stood there like a fish out of water.

"Let's see: Jack has Ianto, and Owen has me," She didn't mean to say it like she practically belonged to Owen, but the mix of affection and jealousy in her mind was a dangerous concoction that had no bounds. "So when Rhys leaves because he finds out you have been sleeping with Owen and practically pulling back the bed sheets for Jack, who will you have? _No one_. Because you've ruined my respect for you, and I'm sure Ianto feels the exact same way."

Gwen's reaction wasn't something Tosh was completely prepared for, but when the powerfully clenched fist came soaring at the techie's left cheek, she was damn glad when her hand came up and caught the swing, stopping Gwen in her tracks.

"Don't you _dare _touch me." Tosh hissed, using the back of her free hand, bringing it back to make contact with Gwen's face and leave a resounding 'slap' echoing through the Hub. It was at that point that she watched Jack come up from behind Gwen to hold her down as she kicked her feet wildly and spat curses in Tosh's direction, while Owen did the same for the Japanese woman who'd had her fill of insults for the day and sat limply in Owen's arms from being emotionally and physically exhausted.

"I'll fucking _kill _you! How _dare _you say that about Rhys! Jack? Why are you letting her get away with this?-" She could barely hear it over Gwen's screeching, but by the faint sensation of warm breath against the shell of her ear, Tosh was almost certain that Owen was whispering a string of calming words to her. As the girls were pulled off to their respective corners, she could see that it took both Ianto and Jack to hold Gwen down, who was completely fuming in her seat and wouldn't take her eyes off of the Japanese woman who was being dragged down into the medical bay.

As Owen sat her down on the gurney, Tosh was met with an alarmed pair of brown eyes.

"What the bloody hell what that?" He exclaimed in a shouting whisper, careful not to set of Gwen who could hear their conversation if they spoke loud enough. "Are you completely mad? You can't just _start fights _like that in Torchwood! What are we gonna do with Gwen now? She literally just threatened to kill you, Tosh!" Owen paced back and forth across the white tiled floor, running a hand through his short hair as he attempted to come to terms with what had just occurred. "I can't believe... How could you..."

Tosh didn't stop the tears from spilling over this time, and as a quiet sob escaped her throat she tried to hide it with her sweater sleeves, but that didn't stop Owen from noticing and rushing over to hold her in a gentle embrace. "Oh, Tosh, I'm sorry... I really didn't mean it like that..."

"It's okay if you did. I understand." She mumbled into his chest as she tried her hardest to stop soaking his shirt with her tears. It was definitely challenging, though, with Owen rocking her back and forth so soothingly, almost like a child. "I just- I had to say it."

"I know... I know. I acted out. I'm sorry. And you have your right to say what you feel, Tosh. Sometimes I wonder if you bottle it all up. You usually barely say anything." Owen released her from the hug and cupped her cheeks in his hands, forcing her to make eye contact with him. "Hey- hey. Look at me. No, Tosh, look at me. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... Gwen completely hates me now, though..." She said a little clearer this time, her tone more recovered from the sudden wave of emotion and her face a little drier. She couldn't help but feel the butterflies wreaking havoc in her stomach again as she realized the terrifyingly small proximity between her and Owen, and the medic shrugged.

"With how you put things, I'm not surprised. It's probably best you said what you said, though. Most of it, anyway." He added. Obviously a few things Tosh had said were out of complete anger and could have easily been taken out of her little speech. "Sometimes I wonder if Gwen throws a tantrum when she doesn't get what she wants."

Owen's humorous side was peeking through once again despite the serious situation and the two shared a gentle laugh. Tosh could feel Owen's slightly calloused thumbs running along her cheekbones, wiping away any stray tears that remained on her face before he leaned in to place another kiss on Tosh's lips.

This time, there wasn't the strong taste of alcohol on the medic's lips, and his movements were much more controlled as he snaked his arms around her waist and pulled the Japanese woman closer. There was no tongue prodding sloppily at her lips, and when Tosh finally melted into the kiss she could almost feel the electricity pass between them that sent shivers down her spine. _This _was what she'd imagined their first kiss to be like.

When Owen finally had pulled away, there was no lazy smile, but instead he mumbled against her lips almost silently. "And what you said today was brilliant. Just don't ever let me get you angry like that." He chuckled airily before slowly moving away from Tosh who had a daft grin on her face, and she watched in a dreamy haze as Owen left the medical bay to check on Jack and Ianto.

The kiss may not have settled anything between them, but it told Tosh all that she wanted to know.

* * *

><p>Jack's eyes had been burning holes into her for a solid ten minutes of silence, and after the first two Tosh had given up on holding eye contact with him. Jack had called her to his office after they'd sent Ianto to drive Gwen home so she could cool off, and Jack and Tosh were now sitting across from each other, Jack resting his elbows on his desk and folding his hands together in thought. When he finally spoke, it caught Tosh off-guard and she flinched slightly.<p>

"We ended up ret-conning her. By tomorrow, Gwen won't remember a single word you said to her this morning." The techie nodded slowly, the Captain's tone verging on reprimanding her for her actions. The two went back to the silent game, but there was an extra build-up of guilt hanging in the air.

"I'm proud of you, Tosh. I really am," Jack said when he spoke again, "sure, your approach wasn't the cleanest, but you spoke your mind. I just wish you had said it all earlier when anger wasn't your main motive. All of that emotion bottled up... you said some pretty hurtful stuff. Most of it being true, but hurtful nonetheless."

"I'm sorry." She apologized, but she was also glad she got to tell Gwen Cooper all she had wanted to. "I just- things needed to be said, and I wasn't really thinking, and-"

"And now Owen is walking around the Hub like a love-struck fool." Jack finished her sentence with a grin on his face, and Tosh's gaze dropped to her hands that were folded in her lap. She was unable to contain the smile that spread across her lips.

"I don't know what you did, Toshiko Sato, but some of your charm must have gotten through to him, _finally_, because he literally hasn't said a word since he left the medical bay this morning. He's just... walked around. With this weird look on his face. Love? Gross." Jack joked before laughing, and Tosh joined in before speaking up.

"What? Don't believe in love, Captain?" She stood up along with Jack as he opened the door for her, peering down into the Hub with a small grin.

"Oh, I believe in love, Tosh," She could see his gaze automatically lock onto the currently busy Welshman who was buzzing around the Hub, taking a moment to glance up at Jack's office and shoot the American a smile before focusing back on his task at hand. "Just with the right person. And for me, Owen Harper is _not _that person." Tosh laughed again, begin to head along the catwalk before Jack called her again. "Oh, and Tosh?"

Toshiko turned around, her eyebrows raised in question. "Yes, Jack?"

"No more Torchwood catfights, please. The last thing we need is to mess up that pretty face of yours when the fist actually hits next time."

* * *

><p><em>AN: So... what did you think? I had quite a bit of fun writing this and I am surprisingly satisfied with my work, so please, let me know your opinion on it! Because of how much I love Tosh and Owen, I will most likely write more fanfiction about them as well, along with much more Jack and Ianto fun which should be posted in the near future. (: R&R?_

_- MJM._


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